Evolution begins with an ant colony

As Rinalef made her way out of the castle in the vast territory of the ant tribe, her expression was visibly pale, marked by the weight of her recent audience with Akun, the ruler of this noble tribe.

Akun’s response had been delivered with a condescending edge, a piercing gaze scrutinizing the princess. His inquiry hung in the air, a demand for clarification. "So why are you telling us not to fight back?"

A shiver coursed through Rinalef’s spine, and she understood that her next words had to be chosen with utmost care. Her voice trembled slightly as she began to reveal the pressing matter at hand. "My father recently made contact with a mysterious figure," she explained, her words cautious. "It promised to provide him with a means to awaken my mother, who has been trapped in an eternal slumber.

He was told that your people are in possession of a ’Dragon’s Core,’ and he was instructed to retrieve it."

Akun leaned forward, his brows furrowing with curiosity. "Did this mysterious figure tell your father where they were from or reveal their name?" he inquired.

Rinalef shifted uneasily under Akun’s scrutinizing gaze, her fingers fidgeting slightly. She replied, "They wouldn’t be much of a mysterious figure if they did that, so... No, they didn’t." Her eyes met Akun’s, a hint of worry in her gaze as she revealed the limitations of the information her father had been provided.

Akun’s eyes narrowed as he processed Rinalef’s response. "So, after your father received this message, he decided to go to war with us?" he questioned, his voice laced with curiosity.

Rinalef, feeling the weight of her father’s actions, nodded solemnly. "Yes," she confirmed.

Akun leaned back in his throne, his expression one of contemplation. "If your answer is ’yes,’ then that just brings us back to the question I asked earlier," he remarked, a hint of impatience in his voice. "So why are you telling us not to fight back?"

Rinalef’s resolve was evident as she made a profound gesture, lowering herself to her knees as a sign of respect. "Oh, great ruler of the ant tribe," she began with a plea in her voice.

"Everyone in this forest is very well aware of what happened that night those few months ago when you stormed the Kingin tribe and claimed their home for your own." Her eyes were earnest as she continued, "Your people disposed of everyone who was foolish enough to engage them in combat, and then, when the battle was over, you enslaved their entire tribe."

Rinalef’s eyes welled up with a hint of sadness and frustration as she continued to explain her predicament. "I do not wish for the same fate to befall my people," she confessed, her voice tinged with emotion. Her hands moved in a pleading gesture, emphasizing the urgency of her plea.

"Simply because my father is so desperate to bring back my mother that he would listen to a mysterious nobody, whose methods in question we are not certain will even be able to bring her back." Her words carried the weight of concern for her people, and her body language reflected her genuine distress about the perilous situation her father had unwittingly led them into.

Rinalef’s eyes were filled with a glimmer of hope as she made her heartfelt request. Her hands were clasped in a pleading gesture as she spoke. "And that is why I wish that you do not go to war with us. Please give me some time.

I’m sure I will be able to convince my father to give up on this idea of going against your tribe." Her sincerity was evident in every word she spoke, and her earnest demeanor left no doubt about her determination to find a peaceful solution to this looming conflict.

Akun’s response was as cold and detached as the still night air. His expression remained unchanged, showing little emotion. "I honestly don’t care," he replied in an unyielding tone. It was clear that the ruler of the ant tribe had made up his mind and had little interest in the princess’s family matters.

The spark of hope in Rinalef’s eyes was short-lived, as she realized she had misunderstood Akun’s intentions. Akun’s next words came with a chilling finality, dashing her hopes.

"If your father decides to lead his army to my territory," he began, his tone unwavering, "I and my people will fight back, no questions asked. In fact, I won’t even wait for him to lead his army to my territory. The moment your people step out of their territory, dressed and armed for war, I shall end them all then and there personally."

Rinalef’s hope turned to apprehension as she grasped the gravity of Akun’s determination to protect his tribe. She realized the precarious position her people were in, caught between her father’s desperation and the unyielding resolve of the ant tribe’s ruler.

Rinalef, determined to make one last plea, opened her mouth to speak, but Akun’s stern interruption left her no room to continue. He rose from his throne with a resolute expression, his words striking the final note of their conversation.

"If that is all you have to say," Akun declared firmly, "I must insist that you leave my tribe now, else I may change my mind and hold you as a hostage, ensuring that your father does not anger me further."

In the present, as Rinalef made her way out of the castle, a familiar voice reached her ears, calling her to a halt. It was Oliver, and his presence drew her attention.

"Hey, wait up, princess," Oliver beckoned, a playful glint in his eyes.

Rinalef turned to face him with a gentle smile. "Oh, Sir Oliver, what is it?" she inquired, curious about the reason for his interruption.

Oliver’s response was lighthearted and teasing. "I just thought that I should escort you back home. We can’t have a princess walking back alone now, can we? Who knows what might happen to you."

Rinalef couldn’t help but blush at the chivalrous gesture. "Alright, Sir Oliver," she acquiesced, her voice warm. "Escort me, then."

As Rinalef continued her walk through the ant tribe territory, Oliver’s thoughts swirled with suspicion. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that Rinalef was too naive. His mind traveled back to the instructions Akun had given him once Rinalef had left the throne room.

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"Oliver," Akun had summoned him, his voice filled with a sense of urgency as he sat on his throne. "I want you to go and uncover exactly what the plans of the dryad king are. Although it is not really necessary, I just feel like something is off about all of this. Report back immediately with your observations."

Oliver’s solemn response was laden with determination. "Yes, my liege," he acknowledged with a bow, prepared to fulfill his duty.

Meanwhile, John, Mina, Chris, the adventurers, and the guards stood resolute just outside the village gate, the weight of the impending battle hanging heavily in the air. They clutched their weapons tightly, ready to face the looming threat. Mina and the other mages, their magical energies humming with power, had spells at the ready, prepared to unleash their fury.

In the midst of the tense moment, John’s mind raced with frustration and concern. He looked around, the high walls surrounding the village offering no escape route other than the city gate they now stood before. His thoughts raged with incredulity at the apparent design flaw.

"Damn it," John silently fumed, "I had originally planned to escape from this situation by looking for another exit in the city. But except for the city gate, there are no other exits on the wall that surrounds the village. Who was the fool that decided to build such a wall with such a huge design flaw? What if the undead break into the city? It would be game over because we have no escape route. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The horde of undead, their tattered forms clattering and groaning, steadily advanced toward the anxious adventurers, their weapons gripped tightly. Mina and the other mages maintained their magical spells at the ready, prepared for the inevitable clash.

Chris whispered to John, "This is it, John. We’ve got to stay strong."

John nodded, putting on a determined façade. "We’re in this together."

The guards, though anxious, were seasoned in battle and stood firm, weapons raised.

Just as the skeletal and zombie forces drew nearer, a sudden and unexpected change gripped the battlefield. All the macabre creatures ceased their relentless march, bewildering the adventurers and guards.

Mina voiced the collective confusion, "What’s happening? Why did they stop?"

The undead army, frozen in eerie stillness, remained an enigma until a distinct sound broke the silence. Clapping, echoing through the air, drew the attention of both the living and the undead. The skeletons and zombies shifted, parting like a river to allow a figure cloaked in all black to emerge.

Dressed in obsidian garments and concealing his face beneath a hood, the man strolled confidently forward. He raised his hands in a mockingly triumphant gesture and let out a thunderous laugh that echoed through the eerie silence.

"Who knew things would end up like this," he chortled, his voice a sinister melody that sent chills down the spines of the adventurers and guards, who now stood bewildered and uncertain, facing a mysterious foe who had disrupted the tide of battle.

The man slowly pulled back his hood, revealing his face to the astonished adventurers and guards. John’s eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the familiar features.

"No wait... It can’t be," John muttered, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

Chris, his voice trembling with a mixture of shock and recognition, mumbled, "Wait... Is that..."

Mina, her brow furrowing in confusion, asked, "Wait... How?" The presence of this mysterious figure had brought a surge of questions and disbelief among the group.